Footvax

[getawayforward]

Never used the product before but planning to vaccinate all existing and bought in replacement stock this autumn. A local vet has suggested one dose with annual booster is likely sufficient. Product literature would appear to recommend two initial doses 6 weeks apart. Is this really necessary?

 

[spin cycle]

can you not manage it by culling...grazing rotation....bitta ab,,,,,wipe it out?

 

[HarryB97]

It is the worst product I have ever used and is terrible to inject, I only used it once. Why spend money and time injecting a product which will only benefit a small percentage of ewes in the flock which should of been culled anyway?

 

[Nithsdale]

Footvax doesn't solve the problems, it just papers over the cracks.

Treat the lame ewes. Install a regular footbathing plan. Cull persistently lame ewes.




IF lameness is such a big issue on your farm, a blanket injection could be used as a tool to break the infection cycle whilst you install the footbathing regime.

 

[Al R]

Works well, some ewes have only been footbathed once a year and on pure sand which is a killer for scald.

only give the one jab per year. I’ve still got original footvax information leaflet which says 1 treatment - even the first year. Some ewes will appear very lame after it a few days later just to warn you. I havnt had this years prices for it yet but last year it was 71p/dose.

 

[Estate fencing.]

If you are farming a decent amount of sheep and buying replacements its a must imo.
One jab now is enough and you will see almost no scald in your lambs next year. I haven't footbathed all year and run mobs of 200 ewes and 400 lambs that feet problems can spread like wild fire in.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Used it for a number of years with one injection per year and it was very effective. So much so that we stopped using it. That was a mistake as the number of lame sheep has got more and more over the last two years and so have started using it again. The time saved in not having to footbath often, which is considerable if you run sheep on different blocks of land plus the reduction in antibiotic use makes it a no brainer in my opinion. Prevention is always better than a cure.

 

[Tim W]

As part of a comprehensive program it can be a good way to eradicate foot rot (along with culling/clean grazing/foot bathing etc)
I think the one time we used it we only had to use 1 jab (but it was ages ago so my memory may be blured)

Haven't used it for at least 20 years & don't have many lame sheep ----culling and selective breeding is the best way forward ?

It's regular use is a good way to cover bad management

 

[neilo]

The OP mentions bought-in replacements, so presumably buys replacements every year. In that case, selective breeding and culling isn’t really an economic option, unless being done by the breeder of the replacements.

Every extra ewe that is culled because of it, and replaced by another that may be just as susceptible, is a financial loss. It doesn’t take many of those losses, extra treatment costs and hassle, to justify Footvax treatment where selection and culling isn’t an option.

I would imagine most flocks that use it still only do one dose per year, just because of the extortionate cost of it. Half a ml seems to work just as well, or it used to anyway.

 

[Tim W]

The OP mentions bought-in replacements, so presumably buys replacements every year. In that case, selective breeding and culling isn’t really an economic option, unless being done by the breeder of the replacements

That's the bad management bit i mentioned ----buyers need to tell the breeders of replacement ewes to get their act together

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

That's fine in theory but sheep moving to a new environment maybe resistant to the bacteria on their home farm but will not have encountered the bacteria on their new farm and so will not necessarily have resistance

 

[andybk]

half a ml a year works just as well , less reaction in sheep ,helps using clean needles as often as possible , doesnt really cover scald (this will die out on its own with cooler tempratures) , best used as a short term measure so you can identify the carriers and cull them , lameness at weaning is no1 reason to go in cull flock ,
most years i still do sale rams just as an insurance against new bugs in next flock .

 

[neilo]

That's the bad management bit i mentioned ----buyers need to tell the breeders of replacement ewes to get their act together

Good luck with that, when the most important selection criteria is often head colouring or sharpness of the ears....

 

[Yale]

We’ve used it for about 5 years,all the ewes and replacements.

The way I see it is the hooves get an easier ride,not having outbreaks which then makes it easier for something like CODD take hold.

If you add up the time dicking about with feet then vaccination is a no brainer.

I‘m very pleased now with flock foot health,recently had an outbreak of CODD which was limited to the rams and has been eliminated using 2x jabs of AB’s.

 

[Nithsdale]

Just remember if you do use Footvax you can NEVER use Cydectin 1% on those ewes at any point in the future

 

[hally]

Just doing 200 ewe lambs today, they go away to a dairy farm for the winter and if you don’t do them the long grass gives them scald and then the Codd follows and you spend half the winter on the road catching lame sheep. Vaccinating our sheep pre housing as well is one of the most cost effective jobs we have done. Hardly any lame sheep and they are texels and we almost never foot bath.

 

[tinsheet]

Cull cull cull, haven't had a case of foot rot in 12 months, really seeing the benefits now, still get a bit of strip about, foot bath sorts that out.
breed own replacements only buy in rams.

 

[getawayforward]

thanks for all the replies folks, much appreciated

 

[neilo]

thanks for all the replies folks, much appreciated

Out of interest, what have you decided to do, from the various conflicting replies you’ve had on here?

Vaccinate and just never mention it on here perhaps?

Welcome to the forum btw.

 

[Highland Mule]

Just remember if you do use Footvax you can NEVER use Cydectin 1% on those ewes at any point in the future

Really? Why not? I bought in small group of ewes a good few years ago that had a lump on their neck and was told that would likely have been from the vaccine. No clue if I put Cydectin through them, but certainly didn't actively avoid it.